Dead space on the RoboBrew (original model)
It’s important when calculating your grain bill and brewery efficiency to take into account dead space.
On the original model of the RoboBrew, the approximate dead space is 3.5 litres.
This is the space between the ball valve and the base of the vessel. When you’re draining from the RoboBrew — either into your fermenter after chilling, or into a cube for no-chill — you’re going to lose this volume of wort unless you tilt the vessel to get these last few drops.
Tilting might get you a few more litres, but of course generally this last couple of litres of wort is thick with trub and hops and not generally wanted in your fermenter. Factoring in this dead space when calculating your grain bill and liquor (water) requirements means cleaner wort into your fermenter, meaning clearer beer at the end of the day.